Little Inventions We're Proud Of...

[dorothea-brooke]

So I was thinking the other day how grateful I was to whoever posted the idea of using a toothbrush holder for travelling with hairsticks. I thought it would be fun to share other little hair- or hairtoy-related conveniences and inventions we've come up with, for mutual edification and interest!

Mine: My little "Portable Updo Kit": an old Altoids tin containing two sizes of Blaxx elastics, two sizes of Amish hairpins, other little hairpins for strays, and two big hair-friendly ponytail holders. Everything for pinned updos in one place!

Next? :D

dorothea

[Flaxen]

Seam ripper for hair wound around the vacuum roller bar. :thumbsup:

[TammySue]

I'm fairly certain this was from BeeLady:
Using cut up strips from hosiery tights for hair bands. I do this all the time!

Love this thread! :cheese:

[renarok]

I second the hosiery hair bands, they are one of my favorite hair accessories. Non damaging and a good way to recycle what we would normally just toss in the trash.

[suicides_eve]

perfume atomizer ( i think thats what its called travle size perfume pump)- it's like a little mister on the go my curls and i just love it

[yogachic]

Seam ripper for hair wound around the vacuum roller bar. :thumbsup:

I don't have one to add, but I wish I would have thought of this, before I jammed a pocket knife in my hand, trying to get the stuff off my vaccum roll bar. shudder:

[bgarrison]

I'm fairly certain this was from BeeLady:
Using cut up strips from hosiery tights for hair bands. I do this all the time!

Love this thread! :cheese:
how are you making them? they sound like a great idea! :)

[dorothea-brooke]

Cool -- I hadn't heard the pantyhose idea. I second the question: Do you use them as ponytail holders, you mean?

And the seam ripper thing is genius, Flaxen! (Ah yes, I see you are "Genius Moderator," so makes sense! :) )

dorothea

[enitsirk]

Seam ripper for hair wound around the vacuum roller bar. :thumbsup:





You. Are. a GENIUS :cheese:

I haven't tried this but I know it will work fabulously and I'm never ever going back to my old ways again!

[Flaxen]

I don't have one to add, but I wish I would have thought of this, before I jammed a pocket knife in my hand, trying to get the stuff off my vaccum roll bar. shudder:
Owie! :wail:


Cool -- I hadn't heard the pantyhose idea. I second the question: Do you use them as ponytail holders, you mean?

And the seam ripper thing is genius, Flaxen! (Ah yes, I see you are "Genius Moderator," so makes sense! :) )

dorothea


You. Are. a GENIUS :cheese:

I haven't tried this but I know it will work fabulously and I'm never ever going back to my old ways again!
Thank you, guys :flowers:, but I cannot take credit for thinking of it. Hmm, I wonder who that was, originally...:ponder:

[Xandergrammy]

Seam ripper for hair wound around the vacuum roller bar. :thumbsup:



Good one, Flaxen! I actually learned this one back in the 70's when I had long hair the first time. I worked in a corset shop and there was always tons of hair on the rollers and seam rippers were everywhere!

[TammySue]

how are you making them? they sound like a great idea! :)

Really easy! After washing a pair of tights that I no longer wear, I cut strips about 1/2" wide along the leg portion and use these for ponytail holders or ties for the ends of my braid. HTH!

[blue_nant]

Really easy! After washing a pair of tights that I no longer wear, I cut strips about 1/2" wide along the leg portion and use these for ponytail holders or ties for the ends of my braid. HTH!

Gawd I haven't worn tights or nylons for eons; so now ... I could get little kids tights in goodwill, yeah???

Also on the Flaxen/seam ripper thing, yes, the seam ripper works best. If you don't have one, this works okay if you have one:

http://www.isa-packaging.com/Images/utility_knife.gif (http://http://www.isa-packaging.com/Images/utility_knife.gif)

Possibly an eyeglass case would work, too, and would hold hairsticks. I'm thinking of those reading glasses cases that are really narrow. Hmmm; they may not be long enough. hmmm

Probably all of you do this: I keep spare hair ties on both my keychain and on my turn signal thingies in my truck. I have a crappy old Claire's plastic hairstick in my visor.

[WritingPrincess]

I have a large(r) pocket in my wallet that for the longest time I had no idea what to keep there. When I dug my wallet out a few weeks ago and started using it again, I had the inspiration to keep my Amish pins and several hair-friendly elastics there. I'm still trying to figure out how to fit my comb in there. :lol:

[physicschick]

Genius idea about the seam ripper, Flaxen! I want to try it. I wonder if I will dare... Last time I picked up a seam ripper was 15 years ago when I accidentally stabbed it into my hand...

[yldchyld]

Owie! :wail:




Thank you, guys :flowers:, but I cannot take credit for thinking of it. Hmm, I wonder who that was, originally...:ponder:

Yup, seam rippers are a must in my house. Not only do I have long hair, I have four cats - Two Himalayans, a medium haired Russian Blue and another cat that doesn't count (short-haired) :p

I keep hair ties on my keychain too!! Plus, I keep those giant claws EVERYWEAR - I have them clipped all over the house and in the car. I buy them at Big Lots when they are a dollar so I don't mind if they break or I lose them.
I even have a few that have a few chew marks on them when I have fallen asleep with one of my pet rats. I must of been sleeping pretty hard to not hear a rodent chewing on plastic. :rolleyes:

I don't know if it's a genius idea or not, but to get the stray hairs picked up from around the sink (or wherever) I use a piece of damp toilet paper. Picks them right up.

[blue_nant]

Genius idea about the seam ripper, Flaxen! I want to try it. I wonder if I will dare... Last time I picked up a seam ripper was 15 years ago when I accidentally stabbed it into my hand...

Note to physicschick: Seam rippers are not inherently evil (giggle). Really, they are not!

Dare it! :D

(I had a similar experience with a sharp graphite pencil, and they are also not evil.)

[Kiraela]

Yes they are. All sharpthings are evil. :P (pencil stabbed through the hand, knife almost cut off my thumb, seam ripper wounds in various places, etc... Maybe it's just me being bad with pointy things, though)


I don't have a vaccuum cleaner, but I have found seam rippers extraordinarily useful getting hair and threads out of the wheels of my rolly-chairs (computer chair, sewing chair, etc)

A crocheted scarf thumbtacked to the wall makes a good hairtoy holder. (and it's good for hook type earrings, too)

[NorthernDancer]

A crocheted scarf thumbtacked to the wall makes a good hairtoy holder. (and it's good for hook type earrings, too)

How is it I've never thought of this before? That is a great idea!

Now I'm going to have to dig throught my yarn stash to find something to go with the colors in my bathroom....

[Stacy_E]

I got this idea from someone else on the old LHC, but using a silverware organizer as a hairtoy organizer for your bathroom drawer:

http://www.pbase.com/segan/image/82089503/original.jpg

I like using cut-up tights as ponytail holders...but I find that when I cut them in 6" sections they retain their elasticity better.

Small plastic jars made by Nalgene work for liquid oils better than the cheap plastic jars you get from Walmart and Sallys, which leak! You can get them at outdoor stores like REI.

I highly recommend making pouches for your Ficcares when you travel with them...I have permanent buff/scratch marks on one of mine because I didn't do this!

[Magdalene]

I didn't come up with this, but wavelength pins are genius!

I like to wear ponytail holders as bracelets (I have one that had a leather flower on it that was just gorgeous in the hair or wrist.) I also like to carry those jumbo elastics that can double as ponytail holder OR headband.

bobby pins make good bookmarks.

[morgwn]

I got this idea from someone else on the old LHC, but using a silverware organizer as a hairtoy organizer for your bathroom drawer

That's just genius! :smooch: My DHTB will love this one, too. :D

[dorothea-brooke]

I am agog! Thank you all so much for the fab ideas -- I think I'm going to use almost all of them. :D

This thread is as fun as I hoped it would be!!! :cheese:

cheers
dorothea

[dorothea-brooke]

I got this idea from someone else on the old LHC, but using a silverware organizer as a hairtoy organizer for your bathroom drawer:

http://www.pbase.com/segan/image/82089503/original.jpg
!

Also, Stacy_E -- can I ask where you got that lovely wooden hairtoy -- I mean silverware! -- organizer?

dorothea

[dor3girl]

There are too many good ideas--can we use them all?!

[Siava]

Seam ripper for hair wound around the vacuum roller bar. :thumbsup:

I saw that here as well and it works perfectly! Now I'm going to try the hosiery strips. What a cool recycling idea.

[jeno]

I just love this thread!
I have an old tie that hangs on my mirror and clips all my "clipable" hairtoys on to it! (Sorry, no picture today...)

[renarok]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2622862059_5e74bcba2f_m.jpg

Whoever invented this is a genius. I shamelessly copied and love it. Most of my hair stuff is hanging right at eye level in my bathroom:cheese:

[Elenna]

I got this idea from someone else on the old LHC, but using a silverware organizer as a hairtoy organizer for your bathroom drawer:

http://www.pbase.com/segan/image/82089503/original.jpg



This is such a neat idea because it is so elegant and practical. I have some small boxes for barrettes and ficares. But I like the tableware organizer better.

My contribution is a plastic bath container for shampoos and conditioners.

[Kiraela]

I don't have much room at all in my bathroom, so I have my scarf tacked up behind my computer in the bedroom. That way, I see it frequently and remember to wear something from it.

[dorothea-brooke]

I just went to Canadian Tire and bought not a single silverware organizer, but a set of interlocking silver mesh baskets that you can make into any configuration you want. So I now have three side by side, and one resting on top crosswise (wouldn't fit in the drawer clipped to the other three :(). But it looks fab, and everyone has their little slot! It is a bit segregated now (barrettes only meet other barrettes, sticks have no contact with anyone but sticks), but at least it's organized. :p

I'll post a pic as soon as my blasted camera is up and running again.

Thanks, Stacy_E (and the anonymous first LHCer to think of this)!

cheers,
dorothea

[dorothea-brooke]

Okay, here it is! I'm very excited about this new system. The basket with the brush and comb is just resting on top so is easily moved.

Please also note freshly cut hairties made from old brown tights! :cheese:

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb187/maggie-tulliver/hairtoyorganizer.jpg

[nappywomyn]

Very nice dorothea-brooke!! :agree:

[MermaidGirl]

... Please also note freshly cut hairties made from old brown tights! ...

Love your organizer drawers! Very modern looking!

I just took a single buff-colored knee-high nylon that had a hole in the toe and cut the band off, and then cut the rest of the leg up into 1-1/2 in. sections to make 5 hosiery hairties. And they match the color of my hair because I'm blonde! Very cool! :cheese:

[Mely]

Yesterday I bought 2 TV-remote-control holders from a sales table at Walmart ($5 each--I think they were left over Father's Day gifts). They make good holders for hair accessories. I thought that were identical when I bought them, but when I opened the boxes, I found they are slightly different. One is particularly good for holding Ficcares, because the front side of it is composed of 2 rails. They hold a remarkable number of hair toys, and also my Denman brush. I'm thinking of going back a getting more--they would be useful for sewing supplies, too. On the bottom they have a little lazy-Susan type platform, so they swivel. They don't take up much space, and are easy to carry around. You would expect to pay at least $5 even if they were just plastic, but they are nicely finished mahogany. I don't care much for the black leatherette panels that decorate the fronts of them, but these could be covered over, and don't show much anyways once they are loaded up and in use.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j146/melykin/remotecontrolholder1.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j146/melykin/remotecontrolholder2.jpg

[wimsey]

Oh, Mely, I like those! Especially the one that holds the Ficcares. My crocheted hanging ones are pretty full, now. I may have to make a trip to WalMart.

[dorothea-brooke]

Oh. My. God. OMG, OMG, OMG! The toys! The caddies! The organization!

I am drooling with envy. :bowtome:

I now want to withdraw the pathetic photo of my little hairtoy collection, please.... :o

dorothea

[Mely]

Oh. My. God. OMG, OMG, OMG! The toys! The caddies! The organization!

I am drooling with envy. :bowtome:

I now want to withdraw the pathetic photo of my little hairtoy collection, please.... :o

dorothea

Well, you have only been here since May! When I first joined a little over a year ago, I didn't have as many hair toys as you have now. Also, I'm a bit obsessive about collecting them now, and really have a ridiculous number of them :oops:. Probably better if you don't have as many as me :o.

[Anje]

I love the organization in this thread... I may need to implement one of these organizers!

I can't take credit for Wavelength pins, but I think they're genius.

I keep my hair ties clipped in a carabiner til I need them. Keeps them handy and from ending up as cat toys. (I also highly recommend the bright children's hair-hosiery-type ties I get from the dollar store, for what it's worth.)

[Speedbump]

This is an *extremely* small "invention" :lol: , but here goes:

I had a favorite claw clip, just big enough for half-ups, that got a broken tooth on it. I almost threw it away, but then got this idea:

http://www.declipsed.com/lhc/handyguy.jpg

I put it in my purse so I would always have ponytail holders, and it works great! The broken tooth doesn't matter a bit for this use and I really do always have the ever-elusive pony holders, which I was always losing before. :cheese:

[chainedangel]

How does one make wavelength pins? And I am so getting a flatware tray for my hair toys.

[TammySue]

Love the remote control holders! :inlove:

Here's a pic of my small hairstick collection, to which I am slowly adding. The vase is for a candle. I put a piece of styrofoam inside to hold the combs.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/missgunnesax/Picture200-1.jpg

[Liluri]

How does one make wavelength pins? And I am so getting a flatware tray for my hair toys.

You get a hold of double ended knitting needles and bend them in half to make them into wavelength pins. HTH

[chainedangel]

Thank you, Liluri! Now to get to store...

[may1em]

Right now I live by myself - I got a great deal on juice glasses at a garage sale when I moved in - 12 for 2 dollars. I don't wait so long between dishwashings that I run out of juice glasses, so one of them got picked for hairstick duty. Works pretty well, and I have a few hairforks that I can slide over the edge.

I also really like the Wavelength pins. Useful!

[dorothea-brooke]

I love the carabiner and jaw-clip ideas for elastic organization -- genius! Mine are in a ziploc bag and it's always annoying to have to go fishing through it for an elastic.

Thanks, Anje and Speedbump!

So many great ideas -- keep 'em coming! :grin:

cheers
dorothea

[afu]

I thought I'd re-awaken this thread seeing as there are so many great ideas and i'm sure there are more out there :)

My small contributions:

* I use mini pencil cases for transporting hair sticks, small enough to carry a few but not big enough to have them rattling around (Photo (http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u385/afu842/LHC/100_0928.jpg) - 5" acrylic next to it to show size)

* I made a stick/fork holder to hang on the wall because I don't like to have my beauties hidden away, I english braided wool to make 4 thick strands, then did a 4 strand braid with those. The sticks and forks poke though it nicely. Unfortunatly I made it a bit short so my flexis don't fit on and a couple of forks and a squiggly also need a home, I'll have to make another (photo 1 (http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u385/afu842/LHC/100_0925.jpg) photo 2 (http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u385/afu842/LHC/100_0927.jpg))

[Zesty]

I use a clear plastic shoe organizer to hold my hair supplies and other miscellaneous items (got it from Cinnamon Hair's website). And I have my four little claw clips clipped to a tied ribbon loop to keep them together -- they go along with my pins and hair ties in a small jam jar.

[proo]

The tube from the body of a large, soft tee shirt makes a great double headband.

[Gillian]

i use old an old wine bottle for acv and baking soda rinses..it doesn't come out too fast and i feel like its better in glass than plastic.

also those elastic/plastic can and bowl covers work great as a cap for moisturizing treatments. theyre cheaper than shower caps and come in different sizes so you can put it over your head or just your bun :)

[Alvrodul]

Toolboxes are useful for all sorts of things! :D
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7013&pictureid=93595

[secondrain]

This isn't exactly an invention but I re-use the little jars that my face cream comes in. They're much better quality than most travel jars I've seen in stores.

I wash out the jars then refill with aloe gel, shea butter, or whatever else I use often so that I can keep supplies in my desk or in my purse in case of frizzaster :)

[cocolover]

* I made a stick/fork holder to hang on the wall because I don't like to have my beauties hidden away, I english braided wool to make 4 thick strands, then did a 4 strand braid with those. The sticks and forks poke though it nicely. Unfortunatly I made it a bit short so my flexis don't fit on and a couple of forks and a squiggly also need a home, I'll have to make another (photo 1 (http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u385/afu842/LHC/100_0925.jpg) photo 2 (http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u385/afu842/LHC/100_0927.jpg))

That is such a smart idea! Love the braided wool for holding hairtoys!

[afu]

That is such a smart idea! Love the braided wool for holding hairtoys!

Thank you, I was really happy with how it turned out (apart from it being on the short side), I think I'll make seperate ones for flexis, sticks and forks to make up for the sizing problem

[luxepiggy]

I discovered that the empty cases from Shu Uemura false eyelashes are perfect for organizing hair notions on the go. Very flat & compact, yet roomy enough to hold lots of items. The slide cover is easy to open with one hand, yet never pops open accidentally when getting jostled around inside my handbag. I can slide the cover in either direction, depending on what items I need:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/hair/hairnotions.jpg

[Not Lynn Merely]

It's not a hair invention, but I found that a tiny, transparent, plastic jar (it was originally a container for face glitter gel back in the '90s) is a perfect holder for a few jewelry items for traveling. I keep it in my purse filled with a couple pairs of earrings and a necklace or two. The top screws on, so it is very secure.

[kidari]

the over the door shoe organizers with the see-through nylon pockets are great for organizing hair things- you can even keep spray bottles and brushes and etc. in there

classic salt and pepper shakers are awesome for DIY dry shampoos

fancy tiered cupcake/dessert stands are awesome for displaying hair toys and jewelry

cheesecloth on your brushes helps to keep the pad clean and remove shed hairs super fast

shampoo that you don't like anymore can be used to wash makeup brushes or delicates